Towel holder or cabinet.



PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906. H. G. MCDONALD. TOWEL HOLDER OR CABINET.

APPLIUA TION FILED FEB. 19, 1906.

Zf'lnesses:

I izzar'neys.

turn sins FECE.

HOWARD o; MCDONALD, F BUFFALO, NEW YO K;

rower, HLDER oa Gamer.

- roller towel-holders or cabinets of that kind which are placed in oflices and other places by toilet-supply companies and which are supplied with clean towels from time totime by the toilet-supply com any, the holder beingso constructed that t e towels cannot be removed therefrom except ,by a person rovided with the key or device for unlocl rling the cabinet. '1

The objects of the invention are to provide a towel holder or cabinet which is desirable and convenient in. use, is of'attractive appearance, and is constructed to reserve the towels in a sanitarycondition, re uce the loss .and' wear of the same, and prevent the removal of a towel from the holder or cabinet except by an authorized person.

Further objects of the invention are to provide the |cab1net with simple and desirable means fortemporarily holding the towel rollers or rods 1n convenient position while changing the towels and for locking the towel from movement on its rollers or rods when it is desired to allow the shifting of the towel to expose fresh portions thereof only at the wish of the owner. a

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a towel holder or cabinet embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary-sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, thereof, showing the towel loc ed from movement. 3 is a perspective view of the holderor cabinet open, the towel being removed. Fig. 4 is a-detail sec- .tional view showing a slightly different arrangemj ent of the towel-locking means.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a towel cabinet, case, or box, referablof rectangular form. The cabinet is divide by a vertical partition B into an outer or rol er compartment C, in which a towel is suspended for use, and an inner compartment or closet D, which is preferably divided by a horizontal shelf or partition e-into upper and lower receptacles or holders, one for clean and one for soiled towels. The outer or roller compartment is bottomless or Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19. 1906. Serial No. 301.857.

Patented. Aug. 14, 1906. I

.has a bottom opening through which the towel F, hung in the compartment, can de- ,pend in a loop for use, as shown in Figs. 1 and '2, and is rovided with a front door G, having a suitabl d lock 9, Fig. 3, or other means for securing it in closed position and preventing it-from being opened except with aiproper key or device. construction shown forms the front of the cabinet, is preferably hinged to the top of the cabinet to swing upwardly and is provided with any usual or suitable device g for holding the door open while the towels are being changed. The vertical partition B or front wall of the inner compartment is provided with a door H, preferably hinged at one of its vertical edges, through which access is had I to the inner compartment through the outer compartment. 'This is the only meansof access to the inner compartment. In the cabinet shown the inner and outer compartments are provided with ventilating-holes i, and a ,mirror Kis provided on the front of'the cabinet for toiletpurposes and to improve the appearance of the device; but these features are not essentials of the invention.

The endless towel'F, hung in the outer compartment C, preferably passes in azi zag course around supporting and guiding ro lers or rods arranged in the upper and lower portions of the outer compartment. In the cabinet shown two up er rollers 11 and one llower rod Z are provi ed, the towel han ing over the two upper rollers and having a 00p Z extending down between them under the lower rod Z and a free 100 depending through the. open bottom of t e compartment for use. Any other suitable number and arrangement of rollers or rods could, however, be employed. The front or rear portion of the depending loo can be pulled down to expose successive c ean portions of the towel as required. This arran ement of the towel over upper and lower 'rol ers is not new, but is referably employed, as thereby a relatively ong towel can be used, while the exposed loop need be only "long enough for convenient use, and the greater part of the towel is hidden from view. Bearings Z 1*", one above the other, are provided for removably supporting the upper rollers at different heights to lengthen or shorten the exposed loo of the towel as desired.

en the towel is, hung in the cabinet described, as shown in Fig. 1, it is loose and'can be drawn over the rollers or rods to expose This door G, which 111 the IIO fresh portions as required; but it cannot be removed except by unlocking and opening the outer door or front of the cabinet. This prevents the removal and improper use of the towel, which is often-a reat source of annoyance. In changing t e towels the one hanging in the front compartment must be taken of]? of the rollers or rods before the door H of the inner compartment can be openedto obtain a clean towel. is opened, the receptacle for the soiled towels is opened and convenient, and the person changing the towels naturally places the soiled towel in the receptacle intended for the same when taking out the clean towel. Thus the towel is not apt to be thrown aside, where it might become dirty orlost or be put to an zof improper use, and a'material saving in towels is the result. When the soiled towel has been placed in the inner receptacle, the inner door must be closed before the clean towel can be hung in the outer or roller compart 'ment, and after the towel is hung and the front or outer door closed and locked it is impossible for an unauthorized person to take either the ban ing towel from the rollers or the clean or soi ed towels from their receptacles, and this prevents the loss and misuse. of many towels. v I

The upper rollers are taken from their bearing-seats when removing a used towel,

and as a desirable means for temporarilyholde ing the upper rollers while the towels are being changed brackets M, arranged at the lower ends of the opposite sides of the outer compartment, are rovided with seats or slots m, in which the r0 lers can be laced as they are withdrawn from the soi ed towel. v temporary holder being thus provided for the rollers where they can be readily placed and are convenient when desired for hanging a clean towel in the cabinet, the towels can be.

' changedwith greater facility and convenience. These brackets M serve to support the i lower towelrod l which not being reuired to revolve to allow the necessary freedom' of movement of the towel is preferably rigidly connected to the brackets. The brackets M are also preferably of angle form and fastened to the sides-and vertical partition of the cabinet, thereby bracing the sides it is pulled down to expose a fresh tJportion.

e towel and holding them in place. A rod or roller N is also referably provideclbelow the lower edge of t e cabinet-front and supported by projecting arms of the brackets M for holding I the towel off of the lower edge of the front when This rod renders the movement of easier and reduces its wear and at'the same time also serves as a rack for a strai ht towel.

"Provision is made in the cabinet i lustrated for locking the towel from movementthat is, for preventing it from being pulled around the rollers to ex ose different portions. This-is sometimes esirable, for instance, where the When the inner doorperson possessing the device is not the only user of the towel and he wishes to preserve a fresh portion for his own use. For this purpose an extra rod or roller 0 is placed in the roller compartment conveniently on the brackets M, as shown in Fig. 1, where it normally performs no function, but is ready for use. By placing this rod or roller in the seats or slots of the brackets M, either back of the several runs of the towel, as shown in .Fig. 2, or in front thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, the portions of the towel between the guide rollers or rods will be held out of a straight line connecting the rollers and will be held from travel around its supporting and guide rollers or rods. This is due to the frictional engagement and pressure of the several portions of the towel against each other and against the locking and guide rods or rollers at the bottom of the roller-compartment.

By arranging the seats'or slots m for the locking-roller in the brackets, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the locking roller or rod 0 can be located in front of the towel directly over and perfect towels secured in the front compartment in any manner enabling then use and requiring I the opening of the front door to remove the towel. The towel-locking means and tempo'rary supporting means for the rollers or rods is not restricted to use in a cabinet havin the compartments arranged as described.

T claim as my invention 1. In a towel holder or cabinet, the combination of an outer compartment in which a towel is sus ended for use and from which a portion of t e towel projects, a door for said outer compartment provided with a lock, and an inner stora e-com'partment for clean and soiled towels w ich is accessible only through said door and outer compartment, substantially as set forth. v

2. In a towel holder or cabinet, the combination of an outer compartment, one or more rollers or rods secured in said compartment for'suspendin an endless towel therein with a portion of t e towel projecting from said compartment, a door for said outer compartment provided with a lock, andan inner storage-com artment for cleanand, soiled towels whic is accessible only through said door and outer compartment, substantially as 'set forth.-

A towel holder or cabinet having a ver-- tical partition dividing it into an outer comartment and an inner storage-compartment or clean and soiled towels which is accessible only through said outer compartment, a front door, for said outer compartment provided with a lock, and means for suspending a towel I in said outer compartment between said partition and door with a portion projecting from said compartment, said suspending means being so located that they can onl be reached by opening said door, substantlally' as set forth. 1

4. A towel holder or cabinet having a vertical partition dividing it intoan outer compartment and an inner storage-compartment for clean and soiled towels, said outer compartment having an open bottom through which a towel suspended therein can hang, a

front door for said outer compartment provided with a look, a door in sald partition affording access to said innercompartment,

and one or more rollers or rods in said outer compartment for suspending the towel,sub-

ing means for temporarily holding said removable rollers or rods while replacing the towel, substantially'as set forth.

6. The combination of acabinet or casing, a plurality of guide and supportin rollers or rods therein around which an en less towel passes and is movable in a zigzag course, an additional rod or roller, and means for supporting the same in the cabinet between said guide and supporting rollers or rods in a position to deflect portions of the towel from'a straight line between the guide and supportrollers to lock the towel from movement, su stantially asset forth.

Witness my hand this 15th day of Febru ary, 1906.

HOWARD o, MCDONALD. Witnesses: i

EDWARD G. HARD, C. W. PARKER. 

